TraveL Stories

Chichén Itzáis one of the New 7 Wonders of the World along with the other UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Taj Majal, Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu, Roman Colosseum, Christ the Redeemer statue, and Petra, Jordan. After graduating with my 2nd master’s degree last month, I figured it would be a perfect chance to treat myself and check Chichén Itzá off my bucket list. I flew into Cancun and used Cancun as my base during the trip and took day trips to Chichén Itzá and Tulum.

For both of the day trips from Cancun to Chichén Itzá and Tulum, I booked them through MyCancunTours. I highly recommend MyCancunTours because they have numerous tour options at affordable prices. The tour company picked me up from my hotel and shuttled me and other travelers to the tour locations. (If you are staying in the Hotel Zone or in other certain hotels close to the airport, MyCancunTours offers complimentary pickup and drop off included in their excursions.) After the excursions, the shuttle conveniently dropped me off at my hotel. The price of both tours was roughly $35 USD which included an entrance ticket to see the ruins as well as lunch on the tour bus.

ValladolidOn the way to Chichén Itzá, stopping in Valladolid is a must for travelers. Valladolid is mostly known for its Spanish influences, classic cars and picturesque buildings with walls painted vibrant colors. Throughout Valladolid, you can find street peddlers selling handcrafted trinkets and goods which makes the town a great opportunity to interact with locals and immerse in Yucatan culture.

Chichén ItzáThe Chichén Itzá tour operated by MyCancunTours is a full day excursion that is filled with other activities such as swimming in a cenote, visiting a Mayan village where you can eat a traditional lunch. It was definitely a surreal experience seeing Chichén Itzá up close! It is one thing to see a historical monument on TV or read about it in a book however it's a whole different feeling to see it in person. I found myself being amazed and speechless at Chichén Itzá ruins.

TulumYou can’t come to Cancun and not make a stop in Tulum so I decided to check it out and see for myself if the hype about Tulum was valid. Compared to the ruins at Chichén Itzá, the Mayan ruins in Tulum are less impressive. However, Tulum makes up for this with its gorgeous beaches and clear ocean views.

Check out more photos from Chichén Itzá & Tulum below (click on the photos to view in full size):